Mushoku Impact

Though it did not harm them, the Black Knight, Brahm, Azura, and Atena found themselves unable to move, their bodies pinned to the ground and their power deprived by the eight pillars and golden barrier surrounding them. Not even the tendrils covering the Black Knight's body could move, their mass sloughing off her armor and pooling on the ground like viscous, inky-black syrup.
As Ancient Spirits whose bodies were entirely comprised of Mana, Atena and Brahm were the most affected by Zhongli's barrier, the former weakly groaning, "What kind of magic is this? I can't summon any strength..."
Ever eager to enlighten others, Zhongli tapped the barrier with her spear as she explained, "This is the Seal of the Dragon-Queller. In a place and a time far removed from this one, it was used to seal away a mighty dragon who brought ruin to order. It has the power to divest even the mightiest of creatures their strength, gradually soothing them into an eternal, peaceful slumber..."
Mustering what remained of his strength, Brahm stared up at Zhongli and asked, "What do you want from us...?"
Closing her eyes, Zhongli exhaled the faintest of sighs as she replied, "I have already expressed our intentions. We came here at the behest of the Great Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishirisu, to help reclaim her throne. That is, or, at the very least, was the only reason we came here. Now, it would appear we have a bit of a mystery on our hands..."
Directing her gaze to the Black Knight, Zhongli added, "I mentioned this before, but I have no doubt you believe yourself to be Kishirika Kishirisu. There is even a chance you are correct. However, if that is the case, why are you here? As the Great Demon Empress of the Demon Continent, why have you remained hidden for the past four hundred years?"
Maintaining the glare she had been wearing for the past several minutes, Kishirika growled, "I don't owe you an explanation...if you want me to talk to someone, bring the other Kishirika here. If she is who she claims to be, I have questions only she knows the answer to..."
Since she could sense Paul and Kishirika making their way over, Zhongli adopted a friendly smile and replied, "You'll have that opportunity shortly. My Master and his fiancee are already on their way."
Reacting like a cat that just had its tail stepped on, Kishirika asked, "What do you mean, 'fiancee!?' Don't tell me that charlatan went whoring herself out with my appearance!?"
Narrowing her eyes, Zhongli replied, "You've quite the sharp tongue...you would do well to abstain from any improper remarks in the presence of my Master. He might be a very forgiving person, but the same cannot be said of all who serve him..."
Baring her shark-like teeth, the Black Knight was about to ask Zhongli who the hell she thought she was speaking to when the voice of a man echoed through the hall, remarking, "Holy fucking shit, Zhongli. I knew you were a beast, but god damn..."
Turning away from her imprisoned quarries, Zhongli politely bowed as she replied, "As you requested, I have apprehended each of the enemies. Two managed to slip past me and trespass into the throne room, but I believed Lady Beelzebel would be more than capable of dealing with them."
Nodding his head, Paul was about to reveal that he had seen Vashti and Vahka hunkered down in the corner of the throne room, but Kishrika beat him to the punch, asking, "So you're the piece of me that Laplace scraped away, eh? I'll admit, you certainly look the part..."
Repaying Kishirika's smile with a hateful glower, the Black Knight stated, "You don't know what you're talking about...I'm not some experiment like you people claim. I'm 'the' Kishirika Kishirisu! If anyone here is a phony or an experiment, it's you...!"
Instead of refuting her doppelganger's assertion, Kishirika shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Who knows? You may actually be right. However, even if I'm the part that was scraped away, it doesn't change the fact I'm also Kishirika Kishirisu. My memory and ability to resurrect are more than enough evidence of that fact."
Maintaining an angry expression, the Black Knight retorted, "No, they're not..."
Without explaining her reasoning, the Black Knight directed her gaze to Paul and stated, "You must be Paul Greyrat...tell me, why have you allied yourself with a Demon? What do you hope to gain...?"
Shaking his head, Paul asserted, "Though there are some pretty clear differences between our people, I try not to make a distinction between the races that inhabit this world. We're all just doing our best to survive and find happiness. My penultimate goal is to make that easier."
Sensing no falsehoods in Paul's words, the Black Knight was somewhat surprised. Instead of showing it, however, she maintained her glare as she asked, "And who set you upon such a path...?"
Responding before Paul could, Kishirika interjected, saying, "I know what you're thinking, and no, this idiot isn't under that bastard's influence. He is trying to stop him..."
Unable to contain herself, a loud guffaw emanated from the Black Knight's throat. She hadn't sensed any falsehood in Kishirika's words, but that only made her more suspicious.
Ceasing her laughter rather abruptly, the Black Knight appeared agitated as she shouted, "Bullshit! Such a convenient story can't fool me! Not this time...!!!"
Feeling annoyed by the Black Knight's behavior, Kishirika frowned deeply as she remarked, "You've clearly gone off the deep end...tell me, what did that bastard Laplace do to break you to this extent...?"
Becoming even more incensed, the Black Knight appeared both excited and infuriated as she retorted, "Hear that!? The real me would never say such a thing! Laplace was one of my guardians, the man who taught me how to use Magic and develop my Demon Eyes! I would never call him a bastard...!"
Crossing her arms in defiance, Kishirika replied, "The person who taught me Magic was the Second Generation Dragon God, not the usurper who referred to himself as the Demon God. Even if they were initially the same person, Demon God Laplace was a monster who treated friends and foes alike as little more than experimental test subjects. He was-"
With an expression rivaling a banshee or some kind of possessed spirit, the Black Knight stared daggers into Kishirika as she growled, "You. Know. Nothing..."
Seemingly finished with the discussion, the Black Knight stopped resisting the influence of Zhongli's seal, resting her forehead against the floor. She still had a lot she wanted to ask, but she needed to organize her thoughts and calm her anger. Seeing a version of herself staring down at her wasn't making her any calmer...
Seeing the Black Knight set her head down, Kishrika snorted through her nose in frustration. She was willing to work with the Black Knight to reveal the truth, but it was apparent the feeling wasn't mutual.
Turning to Zhongli, Kishirika questioned, "How long will this seal last? And can you take people out of it...?"
Lowering her head ever so slightly, Zhongli calmly replied, "So long as it is not broken or undone, it will last indefinitely. As for extracting people from within...it's not impossible..."
Nodding her head in approval, Kishirika remarked, "Good." before turning her attention to the group trapped within the seal and stating, "There are two ways this can go. You can remain obstinant and become a permanent fixture of the Great Hall, or you can cooperate and help us uncover the truth. Either way, I'll be taking back my throne."
As the trials of the Guardians could be completed by defeating them in combat, Kishirika was confident she could convince Fayde to activate the crystals remotely. The Black Knight was aware of this, so, after clenching her teeth hard enough to bleed her gums, she raised her head and asked, "Why do you want to 'reclaim' the throne? If we were truly the same, you would understand the futility of such actions..."
Maintaining her cross-armed posture, Kishirika adopted a broad smile as she replied, "I understand your reluctance, but I guarantee you'll change your mind once you learn about my&mdash;make that 'our' husband's power. He might look like an idiot, but he's pretty reliable when he wants to be. Even Atofe has recognized him."
Hearing Kishirika mention the name of her best friend and refer to Paul as 'their' husband, the Black Knight's expression became dismal. Paul wasn't hard on the eyes, but unions between humans and demons invariably led to tragedy...
Understanding her counterpart's thoughts, Kishirika smiled even wider as she teased, "I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize I'm telling the truth. It's going to be priceless."
Snorting through her nose, the Black Knight retorted, "Bite me..." before directing her gaze to Paul and stating, "Release me from this seal. I vow that neither I nor the Guardians will attack you..."
Catching the Black Knight somewhat off guard, Paul immediately replied, "Sure thing." before directing his attention to Zhongli and giving her a nod of approval. He knew that a proper discussion would be difficult when one party struggled to raise their faces from the ground, so he had planned to release the seal from the beginning.
Though she maintained her typical smile, a faintly exasperated sigh arose from Zhongli's throat as she replied, "As you will..."
Raising her hand to the golden barrier, Zhongli did her best to reabsorb as much of the contained Geo Energy as possible. She wouldn't be the God of Contracts if she implicitly trusted others, so she needed to be prepared for a potential counterattack.
Fortunately for Zhongli, Demons had always been a race that recognized and befriended others through conflict, so the Black Knight responded to her newfound freedom by sitting with her legs crossed and removing her helmet. Brahm and Azura emulated her actions, but Atena quickly shot to her feet and declared, "I'm returning to my room...!" before attempting to storm off in a huff.
Since there was no reason to keep Atena around, Kishirika shouted, "You better activate your crystal before disappearing or sleeping! If we have to come looking for you, you'll regret it...!"
Without turning around, Atena raised her hands to give Kishirika a double middle finger. She was annoyed that her first fight in hundreds of years resulted in her being toyed with by a Spirit she didn't even recognize, so, while she would eventually activate her crystal, she intended to sulk and take a bath first.
Shaking her head in mock exasperation, Kishirika muttered, "Some things never change..." before imitating the Black Knight and taking a seat on the ground. Paul followed suit and what followed was a long discussion about his history, powers, and, most importantly, his intentions for a world post-Hitogami...
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As Geese's report neared its end, Alek responded with a curt nod before asking the question that had been lingering at the back of his mind since their arrival, specifically, "Where's Rynka? Wasn't this supposed to be a meeting of our entire Party?"
Maintaining his characteristically sly smile, Geese replied, "You know how members of the Beast Race can be. She likely smelled something good or went searching for a strong opponent. We are nearing that time of year..."
Understanding what Geese was referring to, a wry smile replaced Alek's usually confident grin as he responded with a faint, "Ah...well, so long as she's back by sunrise, I suppose it's fine..."
Seizing hold of Alek's remark, Elinalise appended, "On that note, I should be searching for my bed companion. Congratulations on the engagement, you two. You make an adorable couple."
Without waiting for a response, Elinalise turned around and made for the exit of the tavern. Tallhand quickly followed suit after giving an excuse of his own, so, despite being an evening of celebration, Alek, Savva, Geese, and the barkeep were the only people remaining at the bar. This made the barkeep more than a little annoyed, but knowing the 'youth' sitting across from him was the infamous North God, he remained silent and didn't even think to voice his complaints...
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"How boring...I expected Demons to put up more of a fight..."
Though she had gone out of her way to locate the local underground arena, Rynka, a fairly tall member of the Beast Race with long, vermillion red hair, cat-like ears, and a tail, left feeling unsatisfied.
Staring down at the goons surrounding her, Rynka stomped on one of their heads as she said, "Even the thugs they sent to try and rob me were a bunch of weaklings..."
Reacting to the stomp, the burly, grey-skinned man beneath Rynka's heel did his best to raise his head, glaring at her as he groaned, "You're going to pay for this...Lord Pandrasu won't-"
"Weaklings shouldn't talk..."
Punctuating her words, Rynka sent her would-be assailant flying with a kick. She was tempted to kill him, but she had promised Alek she would stop wantonly killing after he defeated and spared her.
Understanding that it wouldn't be long before the city guard showed up, Rynka removed her oversized, bandage-covered sword from the ground and leaped atop the nearest building. Her weapon resembled a claymore cut from stone, but it was actually carved from the bone of a monster that once terrorized the country of Millis. It was originally used as a decorative piece for a statue, but the temple enshrining it predated the Laplace War by several centuries. Thus, by the time Rynka discovered it, the incredibly blade had been collecting dust for at least four hundred years.
Though most people wouldn't think to use a weapon intended for a statue as their primary armament, Rynka was gifted with immense strength, even for a member of the Beast Race. Ordinary swords bent or shattered if she just swung them around for training, so, while it was unwieldy and difficult to sharpen, Rynka had developed a fondness for the nearly indestructible weapon.
While leaping across rooftops with casual ease, Rynka briefly considered tracking down the Demon Lord who ruled over Wind Port. There were still a few weeks until the start of the Mating Season, but her near-daily spars with Alek left her feeling increasingly 'agitated' as Summer gradually gave way to Autumn.
Stopping atop a particularly tall building, Rynka directed her gaze toward the port. The smell of the sea had a calming effect on her, but as the cool, salt-infused wind blew through her inordinately long hair, it pushed aside her unkempt bangs to reveal an icy blue eye, a stark contrast to the ruby-red orb adorning her left.&nbsp;
Though it had yet to awaken fully, Rynka possessed the nascent form of the Demon Eye of Power Perception. It didn't show her the power level of her opponent, but it gave her a vague 'impression' of where she could find powerful foes.
Staring in the approximate direction of the Inn her Party was staying in, a shiver ran through Rynka's body, culminating in the fur on her tail standing on end. She didn't know how he compared to the other Gods, but the aura exuding from Alek's body was enough to weaken her bladder if she wasn't careful.
Shifting her gaze to the largest building in the city, a fortress-like mansion that stood out from virtually every other building, Rynka couldn't help but snort in disdain. She could sense several powerful people within, but they may as well be ants compared to her 'Master.'
Not wanting to disturb Alek or cause too much trouble, Rynka directed her gaze to another fortress-like building, the Demon Continent Headquarters of the Adventurers Guild. Her individual Rank was currently D, mainly due to the fact she had spent most of her life as an enslaved gladiator, but she could proudly refer to herself as an S-Rank Adventurer due to Alek's Party being graded accordingly.
Since the Adventurers of the Demon Continent were pretty famous, Rynka figured she could pick a fight with a powerful Party to pass the time. What she didn't expect was an aura comparable to Alek's to appear the moment she turned her gaze to the North.
"What the hell? Is there a monster horde about to attack the city...?"
Without considering the possibility she was sensing a single individual, Rynka leaped from her perch and began racing towards the city's North Gate. She could have turned around and informed Alek of the impending attack, but, knowing him, he would want to arrive after things got a little more frantic. After all, a 'True Hero' was either fashionably late or arrived at just the right time...
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Though she was delayed due to a flock of Razorback Wyverns attacking her over the Black Dragon Mountain Range, Atofe managed to reach the outskirts of Wind Port in just under two and a half hours.
Stopping a few hundred meters away and above the entrance to the city, Atofe exhaled a sigh before inhaling a breath so deep it caused her upper body to swell like a balloon. Then, upon reaching her maximum capacity, her voice roared louder than thunder as she shouted, "Aleksander Ryback! Come out here and greet your Grandma...!"
As the central hub connecting the Demon and Milis Continents, Wind Port was bustling day and night. Not even the occasional typhoon could deter the city's more than 700,000 residents from going about their business or enjoying life, yet, the moment Atofe shouted, an eerie silence settled upon the burgeoning metropolis.
Satisfied by the result, Atofe adopted a smug look as she descended to the ground to prepare for her grandson's arrival. The greatsword in Alek's possession was forged from the same materials as her own, so, while she would usually toy with flightless opponents, Atofe knew she would be the one at a disadvantage if she attempted to remain airborne.
Gravity Magic was classified as one of the three most powerful forms of Magic for a reason. It permitted hill-sized Dragons to soar through the air with remarkable swiftness, and, unlike virtually every other kind of Magic, it completely disregarded Barrier Magic.
"Hmmm...?"
Sensing bloodlust, Atofe's gaze locked onto the figure of a fiery-haired woman standing atop the 30m wall surrounding Wind Port. She could tell the woman was an 'enemy' the moment their gazes met, so, even though she intended to wait around for Alek to arrive, an amused smile developed across Atofe's face as she mused, "Another naughty kitten has arrived..."
As the distance between them made it difficult to discern whether or not Atofe's lips were moving, there was no way Rynka, even with her sensitive ears, could make out what she said. Despite this, she immediately leaped down from her perch and dropped into a three-point stance, her left hand supporting her as she held her sword in the clear precursor to a thrust.
Without bothering to draw her sword, Atofe squared her feet and raised her hands like a grappler, her smile growing to its limits as she shouted, "Well!? What are you waiting for...!?"
Without requiring additional prompting, Rynka kicked off the ground with explosive force, her body appearing to elongate for a brief moment as she traversed the three hundred meters between her and Atofe in just under a second.
Catching the fiery-haired cat girl by surprise, Atofe didn't even attempt to evade her thrust. Instead, she permitted Rynka's sword to pierce through her chest, cackling as she gripped her attacker's shoulders with the force of a vice. Rynka attempted to bound away and create some distance, but the muscles of Atofe's body became like steel, preventing her from pulling out her sword.
Understanding that the woman was likely one of Alek's allies, Atofe did her best to 'hold back' as she hammered her head down, headbutting the wide-eyed Rynka. The impact created a bone-crunching sound that could be heard clearly by the city guards, but, as she had abstained from using Touki, Atofe actually did more damage to herself than Rynka.
Though her face briefly became concave, it was still possible to make out Atofe's smile as she released the unconscious Rynka. Then, curious about the blade sticking out of her chest, she yanked it out and gave it a closer look.
"Is this a replica of the Holy Sword Nothung? Talk about a blast from the past..."
Having personally battled many of the most powerful figures throughout history, Atofe immediately recognized the sword in Rynka's possession. It was very clearly a fake, but the structure and materials used were nearly identical to the real deal. The only thing missing was a Magic Core, so if she had to guess, Atofe would wager the sword was either a prototype or an attempt to reproduce the original.
As Atofe was admiring the well-maintained yet battle-worn blade, alarm bells began ringing in her mind. In the very next moment, a sword formed of purple light pierced the same spot Rynka had stabbed previously. This time, however, she wasn't able to simply ignore it as the blade emitted a powerful gravitational force, pulling her organs toward it as it attempted to compress her entire body.
Borrowing a phrase of Paul's, Atofe shouted, "You little shit...!" as she grabbed the 'hilt' of the sword and strained every muscle in her arm to pull it free. Before she could, the figure of Alek appeared next to her, his oversized claymore emitting the same luminous purple sheen as her own as he said, "It's good to see you, Grandmother."
Punctuating his words, Alek smacked the pommel of his gravity sword with the flat of his blade, driving it further into Atofe's body as he sent her flying hundreds of meters into the sky.
Though the sun had already set, Alek raised his hand to his forehead as if he were trying to block out the sunlight, his red eyes gaining a hint of gold as he remarked, "I've waited eighty years to do that..."
Feeling vindicated, Alek's smile became more pronounced until he shifted his gaze to the collapsed Rynka. She was his first apprentice, so while he wasn't angry with her, seeing her in such a miserable state made him feel a peculiar form of frustration...
"It looks like we'll need to up the intensity of your training...but first..."
Shifting his attention to the sky, Alek narrowed his eyes as he sensed a tremendous amount of Magical Energy condensing beyond the range of his vision. What confused him was the fact it was moving away from him.
"Is she trying to draw me away from the city...?"
Looking back toward the city, a frown marred Alek's face as he briefly considered retreating and regrouping.&nbsp;
Dismissing such thoughts immediately, Alek raised his sword overhead and released a beam of purple energy that burst into a luminous purple cloud. Then, with a casual toss, he threw his sword aside, the grooves along the blade lighting up with a vibrant shade of purple as it hovered a few centimeters above the ground.
Though he could not fly on his own, seventy years of isolated training had made Alek a master of Gravity Magic. He preferred taking things slow and traveling on foot, but when the situation called for it, he could cross great distances in a 'very' short period of time...
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After listening to the explanation provided by Paul and Kishirika, the Black Knight would be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little convinced. The existences of Zhongli and Ei were pretty compelling, but it was the Visions and Paul's self-created Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that captured the Black Knight's intrigue. So much so that, once the discussion was nearing its end, she begrudgingly remarked, "I see why my Doppelganger has put her trust in you...if what you've said is factual, you, your Spirits, and these Visions may be our greatest asset in the battle against Hitogami..."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul was about to respond, but Kishirika beat him to it, affirming, "That's right. Now, the real question is: Are you going to keep hiding away in this castle, or will you help us? We don't really need you, but your assistance might just increase our chance of victory. What do you say...?"
Though she still had her doubts, the Black Knight only had to consider her response for a few seconds before she 'glared' at Paul and warned, "Badi is never going to forgive you..."
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After finishing his after-sex exercises, Alek invited Savva to accompany him on a late afternoon stroll. The Demon Continent may be one of the most desolate regions in the world, but its night sky was beautiful to the point of leaving people feeling speechless and introspective.
Though she was native to a village where the Mana was nearly as dense as the Demon Continent, Savva agreed to Alek's request with a smile. He might leave her feeling dissatisfied in the bedroom, but she had vowed to follow and support him after receiving a prophecy from the God her tribe worshipped. It showed her a vision of a great cataclysm that threatened to annihilate a large part of the Asura Kingdom, plunging the entire world into disarray. The only way they could stop it was by defeating Paul Notos Greyrat before he could seize power.
Fortunately for Savva, Alek happened to be 'residing' within their village since the time of her great grandparents. Many within their tribe believed him to be a fool, but knowing Alek had invested seventy years of his life to keep them safe, Savva, as the daughter of the village Chief, couldn't help respecting and admiring him. At the very least, he took her seriously when she informed him about the prophecy she had received...
Walking along with Alek, Savva couldn't help staring at his profile with a wide-eyed, ostensibly captivated look on her face. He appeared no older than the other boys around her age, but his temperament and the aura of confidence he exuded were in a league of their own. She wasn't the only one who noticed it either. Whereas most newcomers to Wind Port would find it difficult to find their footing, even the most demonic and terrifying individuals gave Alek a very, very wide berth.
Noticing Savva staring at him, Alek returned a friendly smile and asked, "What is it? Did you want to hold hands or something...?"
Though he preferred to keep his hands free at all times, Alex decided to make an exception for Savva, extending his left, non-dominant hand for her to grasp. She was his first girlfriend in more than eighty years, so he didn't mind lowering his guard a bit to make her happy.
Returning a smile of her own, Savva was about to accept Alek's hand when a familiar voice interrupted them, asking, "Oh? Am I interrupting your lovey-dovey couple time...?"
Following the question, a man with short brown hair, large ears, and a distinct, monkey-like nose emerged from a nearby alleyway, a teasing smile on his face as he added, "It's good to be young."
As he had already sensed the man's presence, Alek raised the hand he was offering to Savva, replying, "I see you're still sneaking around, eh, Geese?"
Shrugging his shoulders, the monkey-like man, Geese, replied, "It's easy when everyone's paying attention to the Hero and his follower. Come on; the others are already waiting."
Though he nodded his head in affirmation, Alek said, "We'll be there in a few minutes. I want to walk around for a bit with Savva."
Throwing his hands up in mock helplessness, Geese replied, "Have it your way. Just don't pin the blame on me if Elinalise wanders off before you arrive. With such a wide variety of men available, that woman can't sit still for more than a few minutes without disappearing somewhere."
Understanding the truth contained within Geese's words, Alek's brows briefly furrowed until Savva touched his arm and softly assured him, "It's okay, Alek. Once we've completed our mission, we'll have plenty of time to spend together..."
Regaining his smile, Alek replied, "You're right." before grabbing Savva's hand and adding, "Once this is over and done with, let's return to your village and start a family together. I still have twenty-nine years to slay the behemoth. That's plenty of time to raise a child or two."
Not expecting Alek to basically propose to her, Savva found herself at a loss for words. She was happy, but she also knew that Alex descended from the Immortal Demons. In thirty years, she would be old and nearing the end of her life. Inversely, his appearance probably wouldn't change in the slightest...
Interpreting Savva's silence as her being overwhelmed with surprise and inexpressible glee, Alek exhaled a chuckle and caressed her face, saying, "Don't worry. When your father hears about our accomplishments, there's no way he'll be able to refuse our marriage. You have my word."
Blinking back to awareness, a somewhat wry smile developed across Savva's face as she placed her hand overtop Alek's. Others would jump at the opportunity to have a Hero as a husband, so, even though she felt like it was only a matter of time before Alek got tired of her, she replied, "It's a promise..."
Narrowing his eyes, Alek began to draw his face closer to Savva's until a loud clapping sound interrupted them, accompanied by Geese shouting, "Bravo! Congratulations, you two! To celebrate, let tonight's drinks be on me! Gishishishishi~!"
Though he was a little annoyed by Geese's constant disruptions, Alek maintained his smile as he replied, "I'll hold you to it." Then, with Savva's hand in his own, the trio made their way to the nearby bar where the rest of their Party was waiting...
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"Mou...if those three don't arrive soon, I'm going to leave..."
Standing at 178cm tall and possessing locks of golden hair forming drills that extended past her shapely bottom, Elinalise Dragonroad was a sight to behold. Her modest chest left certain groups feeling disappointed, but the moment she got them alone, even the most fervent breast lover would be singing her praises.
Though he heard his Party member's complaint, the stout and burly Dwarf accompanying her largely ignored her. Instead, he winked at a man nearly twice his size on the opposite side of the bar, smirking when the muscular man visibly trembled.
Following her stout companion's gaze, Elinalise's eyes sparkled as she teased, "Boohoo, it appears you'll be spending another evening drinking alone..."
Snorting through his nose, the burly Dwarf finally turned to Elinalise and replied, "Shove it, you long-eared hag. Once I get a few beers in 'im, he's bound to become more honest with himself."
Instead of taking offense to being called a hag, Elinalise chuckled before crossing her arms and leaning against the table as she asked, "How about we place a bet? If you can convince him to accompany you to your room without getting him blackout drunk, I'll foot the bill for all the alcohol you consume during our stay in the Demon Continent."
Though the grade and quality of the Demon Continent's alcohol left a lot to be desired, there wasn't a Dwarf alive who could resist the temptation of free drinks. Thus, after a very brief moment of consideration, the stout, full-bearded fellow replied, "I accept your challenge." before hopping off his stool and strolling confidently toward his quarry.
As money wasn't a concern for her, Elinalise watched her markedly more diminutive companion with an intrigued smile on her face. They had been traveling together since the Begarrit Continent, and, though it was pretty rare for Dwarves and Elves to get along, they were an exception thanks to their shared 'interests.'
Seeing the Dwarf who had been 'glaring' at him approach, the burly half-demon and his friends promptly stood up, asking, "What's your problem, man? Can't you see we're trying to enjoy our drinks? Piss off...!"
Causing the group of men to tense, the Dwarf reached into his pocket to retrieve a rather sizeable coin purse, declaring, "The name's Tallhand. I'm an A-Rank Adventurer who came to the Demon Continent to experience the sights, sounds, and culture. I've taken a liking to you and your friends. How about the three of you join me in my room later?"
Though they were going to refuse immediately, the trio's eyes widened when Tallhand threw the coin purse onto the table, its contents spilling out to reveal several Asura Gold and Silver.
Hearing Tallhand's proposition, Elinalise slammed the table as she rose to her feet and shouted, "You rock-headed stone fondler! That's foul play...!"
Without batting an eye, Tallhand gestured toward Elinalise with his thumb, adding, "Once I'm finished with you, you can have the tree-hugging harpy console you. Don't let her Noble appearance fool you. Even Succubi can't compete with her in terms of experience."
&nbsp;"You...!"
Though she intended to seduce the trio when Tallhand inevitably failed, Elinalise didn't enjoy being used as leverage to win a bet against herself. She knew Tallhand was shameless, but this was taking things a little too far.
Before the trio of Demons could choose between their dignity and some easy money, the tavern door was kicked open by Geese, shouting, "Order up, everyone! Drinks are on my tonight! We're celebrating the engagement of the North God and his future bride...!"
Hearing Geese shout out 'North God,' the eyes of everyone in the tavern shifted to the entrance, zeroing in on the young couple that had entered behind him. Very few people had met Alek, mainly due to the fact he had spent the last seventy years idling atop a hill, but everyone recognized his black hair, blood-red eyes, and, most notably, the enormous sword on his back.
Though the promise of free drinks was ordinarily enough to draw a crowd and countless cheers, those closest to the exit began to file out as Geese, Alek, and Savva made their way further inside. Even the trio that had been considering Tallhand's proposition made a pretty swift exit, as, even at the lower ranks, North God practitioners invited trouble everywhere they went. Only the brave, foolish, and outright suicidal would dare to accept the generosity of a North God...
As he was pretty used to people running away once they learned of his identity, Alek maintained his usual smile as he joined Elinalise at the bar. The latter was a more than a little annoyed that Alek had scared off all of her prey, but she still managed a smile as there was at least one person even more annoyed.
With an expression that looked like he had swallowed a bug, Tallhand joined the group at the table, groaning, "Wipe that smug look off your face, woman. We both know I was about to win our bet."
Reacting before Elinalise could respond with a teasing remark, Alek's expression revealed his interest as he asked, "Oh? Did the two of you make a bet? What did you wager...?"
Though their nightlife wasn't exactly a secret from Alek, both Elinalise and Tallhand averted their eyes, refusing to meet the youthful-looking Hero's gaze. Fortunately, even though he was ultimately responsible for their bet going south, Geese was there to chime in and state, "Probably something foolish." before holding up his beer and adding, "Cheers to the North God and his future wife...!"
Seizing upon the opportunity to change subjects, Elinalise and Tallhand joined Geese in his toast, shouting, "Cheers!" with a hint of awkwardness in their tones. Even after three months, they still weren't used to being in the same Party as the North God. However, with a payout of 10,000 Asura Gold on the line, they were more than willing to attend Alek on his journey to 'save the world.'
After everyone had clinked their glasses together, followed by a period of loud chugging, Geese exhaled a satisfied sigh and revealed, "According to the information brokers in this area, our target never passed through Wind Port. Fortunately, there are records of a Party calling themselves Einherjar registering at the Port City of Kurasuma. After trading in a bunch of Asura Gold Coins for local currency, they reportedly murdered a group of people in broad daylight before purchasing a six-wheeled carriage and departing for the Gaslow Region. A few days later, enormous storm clouds appeared over the region, raining down a constant stream of lightning that persisted for hours..."
Hearing Geese mention the Gaslow Region, Alek couldn't help reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He knew it was only a matter of time until his Grandmother came searching for him, but he wanted to delay it for as long as possible. Now, it was all but guaranteed that he would have to go directly to her...
...
..
.

Chapter 185: MI185: Pressure